Mr Marr, 53, was continuing to receive treatment in hospital yesterday after suffering a stroke at his London home on Tuesday evening.

Mr Marr is understood to be responding well to treatment and talking to his family, who have been at his hospital bedside.

However, the BBC is not expecting to see him back for several weeks at least and is making plans for guests to take over The Andrew Marr show, on Sunday mornings, and Radio 4’s Start The Week.

With the full extent of the length of Mr Marr’s rehabilitation not likely to be known for a few weeks, a corporation spokesman said: “The arrangement is that for however many weeks we need, we will use guest presenters; people who have done it before.”

She said the BBC would not be providing a “running commentary” on Mr Marr’s condition as with a stroke, conditions can improve and deteriorate in the first few days.

The Stoke Association said the biggest recovery will usually take place in the first few weeks after a stroke, but sufferers can take several years, or even decades, to improve.

She said: “It’s really important to get early rehabilitation and speech physio, and if you get access to that right level of treatment, it really enhances the chances of recovery.”

She said the effects of the stroke would become apparent immediately, and depending on the severity of it, sufferers could leave hospital within 24 hours or face months on a ward.

Stokes remain the largest cause of adult disability, with two types. An ischaemic stroke it caused by a blood clot in an artery or vein. A haemorrhagic stroke is caused by bleeding in the brain and is the more common stoke suffered by the under 65s.

Previous guest presenters of The Andrew Marr show include television presenters Sohpie Raworth, Fiona Bruce and James Landale, the BBC’s deputy political editor, who is presenting on Sunday.

A number of political and media celebrities took to Twitter to wish Mr Marr well.